Commissioners Collins, Smoot out of state during week Jefferson County employees face layoffs

The Birmingham News / Tamika MooreJefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins, left, and Commissioner Shelia Smoot were out of town much of this week. Collins was at a Republican National Committee meeting in San Diego, while Smoot was attending a National Association of Counties convention in Nashville.

During a week when at least 900 Jefferson County workers were being told they would lose their paychecks as of today, two county commissioners spent much of the week out of town tending to other groups they represent.

Commission President Bettye Fine Collins was 2,000 miles away at a Republican National Committee meeting in San Diego. Commissioner Shelia Smoot was at a National Association of Counties convention in Nashville.

Collins' staff members said this week they didn't know where she was. She was registered at a downtown San Diego hotel under her maiden name.

When contacted by The Birmingham News, she asked, "How did you find me?"

Smoot's staff members declined to answer questions about her whereabouts and referred calls to the commissioner.

"As long as I have a piece of technology in my hand, i.e. the BlackBerry, I can still work for this county, which I do 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Smoot said.

Collins said she didn't see a problem leaving the county during the fiscal emergency because she is not on vacation.

"I have worked night and day on the crisis, and I really resent the fact that it's anybody's business," she said by telephone. "I have taken leave to take care of my responsibilities as the national committeewoman. I have done my work back there."

Collins said she checked with the county attorney before departing. "I had reservations made and everything to do this. Make what you want to of it."

The RNC's biennial meeting began Wednesday and lasts through Saturday. Collins attended Tuesday's County Commission meeting then left for San Diego. She missed a Wednesday meeting between county officials and the sheriff's office to discuss ways to resolve Sheriff Mike Hale's lawsuit against the commission over cuts to his budget.

Also on Wednesday, about 900 county employees -- including two in Collins' office -- were notified that they would be placed on administrative leave.

The commission has slashed department budgets and begun placing hundreds of county employees on administrative leave to deal with its worsening financial crisis.

Collins said she has remained in contact by e-mail with county officials over developments.

"I've been e-mailed with everything that's going on and approved everything that's going on. So what would you have me do? So why in the world is this a story?" she said. "I have certainly stayed the course and done my job. I've done my job, and I'm doing my job. I think it's unfair to me."

Smoot, who said she paid for the trip with her own funds, is an officer with the National Association of Counties. She said the trip to Nashville benefited the county.

The NACO conference began July 24 and ended Wednesday.

"I am the president of the National Association of Black County Officials. I cannot not be there," said Smoot, a Democrat. "Besides, we found out about more stimulus money. We met with representatives from the White House. That trip was planned last year."

Smoot did not attend Tuesday's County Commission meeting and said a family emergency prevented her from attending other county functions this week. She returned to Birmingham on Wednesday.

Democratic Commissioner William Bell, the president pro tem, has been handling the commission's administrative duties in Collins's absence.